The Laments of a Genius
by Aventri
Summary: [ONE SHOT] It's the glimpse of her smile that he catches that cause the words from his heart to get lost in his stomach. Shikacentric Vignettes
1. Pensive Smoke

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

**A.N.:** I've been reading a couple of stories and noticed how a lot of younger writers are so anxious to reveal their story that they skip over events in their hurry. They rush to key plot points, and in their effort they end up writing the skeleton of a story without a lot of metaphorical 'meat'. It's like reading the outline and trying to derive a very human story and it's hard. I understand that a lot can be said with little, so this is my attempt. Maybe in comparison to my other stories it'll look like randomness, but I hope you as the reader can understand my intentions. Please RxR.

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He inhales slowly, pulling the air in through the cigarette in his mouth, and its glowing red tip takes one step closer to his lips. Each drag he takes sets his lungs on fire, but he feels fulfilled. Every exhale that slides out hurts him by causing a choked up feeling in his throat, even though the overall pain of his loss dulls. 

He loved to sit lazily on idle days and watch the sky. There were no real cares in the world, just troublesome events and circumstances and even teammates that needed to be avoided from time to time.

Chouji doesn't go to the barbeque restaurant anymore, and it's not because he doesn't have his meal paid for now. Whether he's on that long awaited diet or not Shikamaru doesn't know; he hasn't talked to the heavyset boy in over a week.

Ino has busied herself with working in the flower shop; she nurtures and showers her attention to those flowers as if her goal is to make sure they don't die. The wilting petals that fall to the floor are just life's hard way of disappointing her.

These days, the boy who used to watch the clouds now makes them.

On cold mornings, the smoke lingers in the air, hanging there suspended like his feelings, and he doesn't know where to go. The one teacher he had to give him direction is gone.

If only he was smarter he could have developed a better strategy. If only he was faster, maybe he could have stopped the akatsuki member from completing the justu. If only...

If only.

No one says he's to blame, but it doesn't mean that he doesn't feel the guilt. The reason he'd volunteered to be the one to deliver the bad news to Kurenai was to punish himself. Each of her tears was a whip that lashed at his soul.

He longs for rainy days, where there are clouds covering the bright sky. When they roll over the land raining on the earth below, it helps him hide his sorrow.


	2. Flower Girl

**AN:** Okay, really I didn't make this story to be continuous. Seriously, I should be working on "White Eyes," but my mind enjoys the break to explore different characters. If you were hoping this would actually be an update to another one of my stories, I'd like to say I'm sorry. But honestly, it's not my fault. I blame Sintari's "Crowskin" of which you might notice a resemblance in poetry usage. Even more to blame is Astra M. For those of you who don't know, Astra is a Shikamaru and Ino fiend. These two together completely forced me to write something tragicly sweet. While I'm not sure I accomplished that, it was a fun little writing adventure. Naturally, please RxR.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Naruto.

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_"For her, the fair and debonair, that now so lowly lies,  
The life upon her yellow hair but not within her eyes"_

Shikamaru might be a genius, but the only word that's coming to his mind is 'backwards'. It's definately not the most eloquent, but it's most assuredly fitting. It's not everyday that the village lines up to bring flowers to the girl who works at the flower shop.

When he walks up to her, he wants to say something beautiful so that it matches the way she looks. Standing before her, he wants to say something touching, something appropriate. And maybe it's a shyness he's never known that causes him to fumble his words. There could be a bit of blush that paints his cheeks at the thought of voicing his feelings to her. He's not the first to come with flowers and a kind phrase, and he won't be the last, but he wants to leave something more memorable.

And there's so much history between him and Ino, that he doesn't know where to begin. He can't help but remember all of those times together with her during training, and on missions, but none of that carries any meaning right now. Now, what matters is what he says before he gives her the flower.

It's the glimpse of her smile that he catches that cause the words from his heart to get lost in his stomach. There's been so much silence between them in the past week that he almost wants to say anything to make sure his voice still works. Luckily, the smile that lead him astray is the one that guides him back.

The words he finds to say aren't as deep as an ocean, or as moving as a strong river, but they are the words he means the most.

"I miss you."

He doesn't want to leave. He wants to stay there and watch her timeless smile, but the reflex to drop his flower like the people before him betray his intentions.

Shikamaru might be a genius, but he never knew how hard it was to say goodbye until today.


End file.
